As there were many questions which contain duplications with other magazines,I focused on the questions with no overlapping. ”

Summary of Kim Hyun Joong Interview by Choa

No. 8 issue

Q : What are the difference between KissKiss Korean and Japanese versions ?KHJ: The lyrics deliver the same message. The difference is a way of mixing. Japanese version is aimed easy and confortable for Japanese people. If I promote myself in Japan, I thought that it would be nice to add factors which they feel familiar with as a J-POP.

Q : The image and concept of the three album jackets gives different impression fromthose of Korean versions.KHJ : I wanted to show three concepts, i.e., tender , sexy, and charisuma. However, it took a considerable time. Actually, there were nine sets (9 pieces of clothes ).

It was a pitty that I could not show you all of them. If only I could have disclosed those pictures on the net. Personaly, I like the best, the sexy look dressed in red.

Usually I don’t have a chance to put on something red.

Q : KissKiss is a story of an encounter with the woman of dream. Have you recently met a girl you felt a woman of your destiny ?

KHJ: I feel I had. I had an opportunity to meet with the lady whom I had been having affection for a long time. I feel strange that it happened to me….It was a Korean girl (he said in Japanese)who’s that girl

Q: “Power of Smile” expresses a very strong determination while being tender.Any points you feel symphathy with this song?KHJ : When I recorded this song, there occurred many disasters in Japan.While thinking of those fans in their sorrow, I sang this song for them. I thought that what I could deliver to them was my song. I know that a song cannot cheer them up completely, but I just wanted to do something to soothe their sadness.

Q: Any strange happenings you have recently experienced.KHJ: My clothes disappeared one by one. Even with a monitoring camera, we could not find who took them away. No one in the monitoring screen!Not only clothes, but also watches disappeared one by one.

Q: Any specific episode in Japan which you cannot forget ?KHJ: I could not read Japanese at all when I came to Japan for the first time.I misunderstood a medicine for athlet’s foot for tooth paste (laugh)I also took body lotion for a hair rinse. One of the medicines we got from the fans was the one for athlete’s foot which happened to be in the bathroom.

That is why I guessed wrong. One of the members (SS501) continued to use that medicine for athlete’s foot as tooth paste, having bleeding from the gum.I thought my gum was strong as it did not happen to me ^^

Q 1: What kind of music genre did you aim in the current album? (Lucky )KHJ: Frankly speaking, it seems that nobody is interested in my songs in themselves. I focused on “ music to see performance “ rather than “ music to listen to “. However, what I would like to aim from now on is a sort of music which makes everyone cheerful. I know that nobody expects me a high-quality music pieces. That is why I wanted to create songs easy on the ear. I aimed songs which make people comfortable and cheerful by just listening to. Maybe I talked about this too honestly (laugh)

Q2: Do you believe that you have grown up in music through this album?KHJ: Yes, I feel that I could have made improvement during this album production. I made my best efforts in vocal lessons to change myself. Though there are still many things to be improved, I feel that I could have changed the tone of my voice.

Q3: The 2nd mini-album, “Lucky “ includes a few pieces of ballad.KHJ: As I knew that people expected me to sing a ballad, I added them in the current album (laugh). In order to give a sense of stability in tone of the ballad, I especially focused on this to show how I had changed. I hope that everyone like them.

Q4: Compared with the previous mini-album, “Break Down”, how do you think of “Lucky” ?KHJ: To be honest with you, “Lucky” is better than “Break Down”.

Q5: You produced the 2nd mini-album in four months after the release of “Break Down”. You seemed to have really worked hard to produce your album with such a short interval.KHJ: Exactly! I really worked non-stop. I have been working hard without taking any rest till now. The current reaction from people itself is amazing for me because I thought in a different way. I felt that I was too late to release an album. I wanted to meet with my fans through my music as soon as possible. This feeling was overwhelming in myself. I wanted to deliver good songs to them. Therefore, I will continue to produce a single album constantly to see my fans.

Q6: Do you mean that you would release your album frequently?KHJ: True enough. Being a member of SS501, I released only one full-album. From my viewpoint, there is no point in differenciating a mini-album from a full-album. I will just count my album as the first, the second, and so on.

Q7: Could you explain about the title truck of “Lucky” album?KHJ: The basic sound of the title truck consists of a rhythmical electric guiar and brass rock’n’roll band music. It’s a funky rock. As I was involved from the planning, concept, ideas, and overall production, I am very attached to this album.

Q8: What kind of music do you want to create ?KHJ: The music I am really interested in is a band music. Before I joined SS501, I loved rock’n’roll music. When I was a high-school student, I was playing (a guitar) in the rock band. I would like to learn more about music so that I will be able to be confident. For me, it is music that I can get along with till the end of my life.

Q9: Could you tell us more details about “band music” which you are interested in ?KHJ: The genre I am much interested in is “club music”, but I also think that “band music” is exciting as well. That is why I introduced a real drum sounds in my album. The real sound of the musical instruments increases the “loose feeling “ in music. The sound of guitar was used to aim to add “dry and rough “ touch in the music. I love such taste. In addition to that, I wanted to show that we could dance with a band music. The choreography accentuated the dancing as well.

Q10 Could you tell me about episodes during the recording, if any ?KHJ: Nothing special. I just enjoyed recording. You may easily recognize while listening to “Lucky Guy”, there’s a sound like the howling of a wolf just before the song goes to bridge (* the melodyline between the 1st lyrics and the 2nd lyrics ). Originally, I wanted to insert a female voice, but I could not find a preferable female sexy voice. Therefore, I did it by myself. Please check this while listening (laugh)

Q11: Finally, could you tell us your plan as artist ?KHJ: I just want to create a good album. In the far distant future, on the occasion of my retirement as dance-music singer, I would like to invite my fans to the concert and show the best (unsurpassable ) live. I can stand here thanks to the warm support from all of my fans. I would like to convey my appreciation to the fans as much as possible.